Causal Relationship Between Components of Metabolic Syndrome and Ventral Hernia: a Mendelian Randomization Study

Abstract

Background: Ventral hernia (VH) includes subtypes like incisional and umbilical hernias, which are more complex than groin hernias due to wider defects, higher recurrence rates, and more demanding surgical techniques. The purpose of the present research is to explore the causal relationship among metabolic syndrome-related components and abdominal wall hernia, and to provide genetic evidence to support the risk of metabolic syndrome-related components and abdominal wall hernia.

Methods: Data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were analyzed. The study selected waist circumference (WC), hypertension, fasting blood glucose (FBG), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides as exposure factors. The outcome variable was ventral hernia (VH). The causal association among exposure and outcome was assessed primarily using inverse variance-weighted (IVW), supplemented by MR-Egger, weighted median, and simple model analysis. Cochrane's Q test was used for sensitivity analysis, and the findings were presented as forest plots, scatter plots, and funnel plots.

Results: After screening, a total of 817 instrumental variables were retained. IVW results showed a significant positive causal relationship between WC and VH (OR = 1.074, 95% CI = 1.016-1.135, p = 0.011). However, no evidence was found for a causal relationship between other metabolic syndrome related symptoms and abdominal wall hernia.

Conclusions: In light of genetic data, the findings imply a causal association between VH and waist circumference, a sign of metabolic syndrome. The final results confirm that an higher risk of VH is linked to an increased waist circumference.

Keywords: Genome-wide association studies; Mendelian randomization; Metabolic syndrome-related components; Ventral hernia.